About

Pride and Prejudice House will operate as an historically themed event centre, and will welcome its guests into the world of Jane Austen, just as we all have dreamed. Everything at Longbourn will be precisely as it was in Pride and Prejudice. Staff will be in costume, even in character. The house will be decorated just as it was in the show. It will really be just like Austenland. Our ticketed events and private rentals will allow you to eat at the dining table, sleep on the beds, even take a turn in the prettyish sort of wilderness on one side of the lawn.

Through the pre-sale of tickets and bookings, we are attempting to create this long-imagined dream. Select your tickets from the rewards to the right. To get multiple tickets, or to add reward, Kickstarter requires you to do separate transactions for each.

The more you purchase, the closer the goal of Longbourn will become. Rest assured, all tickets are completely transferable, and do not expire.

Come for afternoon tea, with a tour of the house and grounds. Take plenty of selfies and endeavour not to faint. Fill yourself with dainties and act out all your favourite scenes. And yes, we can rent you a costume on site.

Come in the evening for a Regency costume ball, including dinner, music, dancing and games. We plan to convert the stable block into our own Assembly Rooms for some capital dancing and hopefully some witty repartee.

We feel certain you will never want to leave Longbourn, now you are come, and if you so choose, you do not have to! See below how you can stay overnight in one of the rooms of the house and keep the dream alive at least until morning. And if you stay awake all night, pinching yourself, we shall not blame you!

We will be holding regular, all-inclusive weekend retreats at Pride & Prejudice House, with different themes. Join us for some genuine Regency fun in full-time costume, with historical activities and foods. Or, come and indulge in some dedicated role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons (TM), or the latest Austen-themed RPG: Good Society (TM). Or, stay with us in September, during the Jane Austen Festival, which takes place in Bath, but half an hour from Longbourn. There are balls, shows, lectures, and much more during the 10 days of the festival, and you can enjoy either weekend of it while staying at Longbourn. We will provide a shuttle going to and from the festival each day.

For the ultimate Jane Austen experience, you can rent the entire house for your own use, and live as though you really were a Bennett, and this was your family home. After all, there is nothing like staying home for real comfort. You will have staff, just as a gentleman's daughter ought, and you are free to use the house and the grounds with up to 18 overnight guests. Catering, photography and costume services can all be provided by arrangement.

Yes, you can get married at Longbourn!

There is a church next door, connected to Longbourn by a gate in a hedge, which leads directly into the churchyard. It is a medieval stone church, and eminently suitable for a Jane Austen style wedding. Say your vows, and then simply stroll right into your reception, with food and photography provided by us. See below to add more guests to the catering, and to enhance your day with live music, dancing and instruction for your guests. We can even provide period costumes for your wedding party by arrangement.

But I don't know if I can make it to Longbourn.

If you truly cannot come to Longbourn in person, and have no one for whom to purchase a visit to Longbourn, you can still support us by choosing the Literature Package that will transport you to Austen's England in your mind and heart. This includes two eBooks and an AudioBook, of Regency fiction authored by Melanie Kerr, founder of Regency Encounters.

The first title, provided in eBook form, is Follies Past: a Prequel to Pride and Prejudice, which takes readers into the story behind Pride and Prejudice, to the early days of Darcy and Wickham and the near ruin of Miss Georgiana. The second title, Mary Green, provided in eBook and AudioBook, is an original story, set in Regency England, and in keeping with the themes and the style of Jane Austen's work.

Why would I trust this Canadian company to bring Longbourn to life?

Regency Encounters is renowned for their ambitious undertakings and the epic nature of their events. We are the company behind the Pride & Prejudice Ball, which began with a Kickstarter campaign in 2014, and now draws crowds of hundreds in multiple cities. We have been holding the ball 2 - 3 times a year for the last 4 years. We createfantastical experiences for our guests, and have always had Jane Austen at the heart of our passion.

Founder of Regency Encounters, Melanie Kerr, published her first novel in 2013, 200 years after the release of Pride and Prejudice. She has since published a second book and is now working on her third, all in the era and style of Jane Austen.

We are also responsible for DnD in a Castle, which takes place over 4 days in a genuine castle in France, and features some of the biggest names in RPG, such as the queen of DnD herself, Satine Phoenix, and lead rules designer of DnD, Jeremy Crawford. This event sold out very quickly in its inaugural year, and plans are only getting bigger for future years.

Regency Encounters also created the Festival of Witchcraft and Wizardry, attended by over ten thousand people in its first year. All coordinated and overseen by Kerr, the festival involved a Magical Express train, Potions and Divination Classes, a game of Quidditch, a photo booth of the Headmaster's Office, two film screenings, Dragon Alley - a market of over 30 vendor stalls, and Hogshead Village - including locally made Buttery Beer and Pumpkin Juice as well as live entertainment and another market.

Melanie Kerr, has been dreaming of Longbourn since first she saw Colin Firth in a top hat and breeches, and has been building towards the dream of making it real since she started her first Jane Austen book club in 2006. This little Canadian company has big passions and big dreams, and the experience and team to pull off a real-life Austenland, with all the soul and care that costume-drama nerds would wish.

We hope to see you at Longbourn soon!

Risks and challenges

Luckily, the house itself is in great condition. The only work it needs is cosmetic, to make it look as it did in Pride & Prejudice.

We will be incorporating in Britain, and using the equity in the house to finance its operations in the beginning. We have the key staff members already retained, including the housekeeper, caretaker, manager and lead costumier. With these key people in place, we will be able to launch very soon after taking possession of the house.

Once the house opens, we will be running events almost every day, which will be an immense amount of work, but we cannot wait to dive in and make this crazy dream a reality.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge CA$ 250 or more
About $190

Costume Afternoon Tea

Join us on a Saturday or Sunday Afternoon, in full Regency dress, for afternoon tea and a tour of the house and grounds. All guests receive a professional photographic print of themselves at Longbourn, to remember their day in Pride and Prejudice.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge CA$ 280 or more
About $213

Tea for 2 at Longbourn

You and a friend can spend an afternoon at Longbourn, with tea, scones, and everything nice. Tour the house and the grounds, take pictures of yourself in your favourite scenes, recreated just for you. Redeemable any weekday afternoon that Longbourn is open. Subject to availability. Advance booking will be required. Details to be provided by email.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge CA$ 500 or more
About $380

Attend a Ball at Longbourn

An evening in costume with full Regency dinner, live music, parlour games, cards and possibly even a spot of dancing. All guests receive a photographic print taken by a professional photographer, of them at Longbourn in their finery.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge CA$ 5,000 or more
About $3,798

Exclusive Use of Longbourn

Have Longbourn all to yourself for one night. Perfect for a girls’ night or family gathering. Even get married at the church next door and hold a quiet reception at Longbourn. House sleeps 18. Costume rental, photography and catering all available by arrangement.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge CA$ 13,000
About $9,876

Wedding/Private Function Package

Get married at the church next door, then walk through the little gate in the hedge right into Longbourn for your reception. Or simply hold a gathering of any kind at the house. Includes overnight exclusive use plus buffet dinner and portrait photography for up to 30 people. Donors have first choice of dates before all other rewards are fulfilled. Additional services such as costume rental, live music and dance lessons available by arrangement.